Wednesday, December 10, 2014

How to Convince a Client Your Eggs are Superior in 30 Seconds

How to Convince a Client Your Eggs are Superior in 30 Seconds

by Guest Blogger Bethany Johnson

Almost everyone has noticed the upward trend in the local
food movement.Farm fresh is the new black, so to speak, and eggs are arguably the
hottest item.

There are many reasons people start buying eggs from local hens. Foodies know they
taste better. Health nuts know about their superior nutrient content. The
eco-conscious know about the earth-friendliness of our smaller, happier
flocks.Others know how a small business
is the future of our economy.Everyone
has a reason, and once you find a person’s, it only takes a few seconds to
convert them into a lifelong customer.

You know the feeling.Someone is interested in buying your eggs.But where are they coming from?You’re confident that once they taste your
eggs, they’ll be hooked.But how do you land
that first sale?This moment
counts.

It would take an hour to list all the benefits of your
product, and you know you only have a few fleeting moments.At this crucial moment, you’ll want to have a
plan, and here it is:

Before launching into your spiel, stop and ask your
potential customer a question or two.For
people you don’t recognize, my favorite question is, “Is this your first time
at our market? (or store? or farm?)”Or
you could ask them whether they’ve seen the local food movement gain momentum
like you have.You could even ask
whether they’re from nearby.The point
is you want to show them that you’re aware of them, and not just for the
sale.Your goal here is just to show
folks you don’t bite.

Next, ask whether they’ve ever had eggs like yours
before.You do know what
sets your eggs apart, don’t you?For
example, I ask market visitors whether they’ve had eggs from hens that forage
on local pasture daily, since that’s our specialty.Their answer will determine where the
conversation goes next.Imagine these
scenarios.

“Oh, yes, I always buy free-range eggs from the
grocer store, since cage-free chickens are much happier.”

“No, but I’m in culinary school and learning
about sourcing local ingredients for my dishes.”

“A long time ago, when my grandmother kept
chickens in her back yard.They were so
fun to watch!”

“I try to get them whenever possible.I can’t imagine what vitamins and minerals,
if any, are in conventional eggs.”

“No, but I like the idea of supporting a small
enterprise.”

Each example here gives you a glimpse into the motivation behind
each customer who visits your market.In
fact, as you were reading through these statements, you probably already
considered your reply.

Let’s look at each personality, and close the deal.

The first response, from the consumer who deliberately opts
for “free range” eggs from the grocery store is on the right track, and it’s up
to you to bring his or her knowledge full-circle.In other words, debunk conventional marketing
tricks for this person.Explain what
“free range” means in conventional agriculture, and then describe why your
hens yield a better product.This client
may also try to shop responsibly on behalf of the environment, if they mention humane
methods.Show them the Molded Fiber Egg
Cartons you use, and encourage the client to compost them to keep the
goodness cycling.

Next, you have the culinary protégé, whose main motivation
is taste.He will be eager to impress
his head chef, so suggest he does a side-by-side taste test with your eggs
against conventional eggs.He’ll be back
for sure!

The customer who mentions a grandmother or “days gone by”
will enjoy the nostalgia of your product, and can even perpetuate the tradition
if he or she has children around.Encourage this customer to try your eggs in a dish that grandma used to
make.Have them start a tradition with
their kids of getting local eggs regularly from you.Show them pictures of your hen house.Ask whether they think it could use a hanging
basket or flower box.These folks are
charmed by your animals, and love to hear stories of farm life.

Then you have the health nut, who happens to be my personal
favorite. These folks know how real food
affects our bodies, and they love to talk nutrition.I stay ready for these folks by keeping a side-by-side nutrition
comparison of an egg from a pasture-raised chicken next to the nutritional
content of a “USDA Standard” egg.Discuss
the prevalence of vitamin
D deficiency in our country, and ask them whether they can see how
sun-drenched local hens would have 4
to 6 times as much vitamin D as their confined counterparts.

Of course, if you only had a few precious moments, you
wouldn’t talk about nutrients to the person who wants to support local
business.No, you would describe how the
capital they invest in your eggs circulates for years within the community.Talk entrepreneurship.Tell how you source your feed locally (if
indeed you do).Mention the diversity of
local businesses.Share a few challenges
you overcame recently.Remind them your
eggs represent creativity at work.

If you’re like me, you’ll notice the temptation to stray
into the other topics, since of course you feel strongly about them.Sometimes though, you only have a few seconds
with the customer, so focus on how your eggs matter to them, based on what they first told you.Resist that temptation to list all the
features of your product, until it seems they are ready to stick around for a
while and hear more.

Once you’ve discussed your eggs from the customer’s
perspective, ask how many they’d like.After the transaction is done, talk about the other benefits that you
had to omit earlier.You’re free to
share your personal favorite things about your product now, so don’t censor
yourself or hold back.Let your
enthusiasm shine.Talk in circles.Or don’t.It doesn’t matter, since you have done the most important work, that of caring
for your new client.